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Yes, once out of range of the UK shore based tracking the ship "disappears" until it gets in range of the US. Went to several sites and they all showed 10/13 arrival in Baltimore though the last update they had was 10/4 when leaving the UK. Weather could have caused some delays... What are you seeing for an arrival date?

Yes, once out of range of the UK shore based tracking the ship "disappears" until it gets in range of the US. Went to several sites and they all showed 10/13 arrival in Baltimore though the last update they had was 10/4 when leaving the UK. Weather could have caused some delays... What are you seeing for an arrival date?

One site showed me the 15th and another showed me the 14th. The original site you linked me to had an ETA of the 13th.

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Originally Posted by CaptainAudio

In the words of one of Bimmerfest's greatest minds:"Been there, done that"

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Originally Posted by boltjaM3s

Half the fun of succeeding in life is fighting the fight and making it.

Yes, unfortunately the ETA was originally given back on 10/4. Have not looked at the weather in the North Atlantic but not unusual to have the schedule slip a bit due to weather. Patience grasshopper! Your car will be here soon...

I come from a BMW family. The very first BMW that I can remember is the 1998 BMW 740i my father drove. The car was great! Very comfortable, and effortless to drive. That opened the door for another 14 years of BMW cars. It all started after we sold the 740i in 2004. 2004 330ci, 2004 M3, a 2007 X3, a 2007 530i, a 2008 328xi, 2009 650i, 2011 X5 to a 2008 M5 and a 2011 BMW M3. There are a couple others but you get the point. You'd expect me to be a little biased towards BMW but I like to think of my self as an automotive enthusiast. I don't like to stick to just one brand so I would like to offer my take on these two incredible, amazing machines.

The Cars

The BMW M3 has been THE car. Back in the day, every TRUE auto enthusiast wanted one. The sheer balance the car provided was unrivaled. The performance the car offered for the money was unmatched. Today, BMW has stuck to that recipe(if it ain't broke don't fix it, right?) and even 6 years after it's introduction, the BMW M3 is still taking names. The sheer balance this car provides is so amazing! The car is so predictable, it's uncanny. That free revving engine just seems like there's no inertia! 8400 RPM's and the engine sings all the way to it's limit. Downshifting puts a huge grin on your face. It's such an amazing car to drive.

The car isn't perfect for daily driving, though. I found myself constantly downshifting to keep the car in it's power band. While you want the car up high in the rev band on the track, that's not so on the street. I don't want my car to be attracting attention to itself as I'm driving along trying to pass a truck. I also don't want it around some riced out Subaru. The last thing I want is for someone like that to think I want to race them. The way the car delivers the power is very linear. It builds as you go higher in the rev range but for the street, you don't want to start out with little power or torque. You want that torque delivered quickly so you are able to pass. The problem is not the amount of torque the car has, it's the way it's delivered. The M-DCT makes me wish MB actually bought their transmissions from BMW. Shifts were crsip and smooth! Feedback was minimal through the steering wheel and steering feel was a bit light.

The Mercedes Benz C63 AMG has always been the car that's nipping at the heels of BMW. While BMW's M division is geared towards going around a corner, AMG's of yore were built to go fast in a straight line. Well, the C63 AMG is here to completely shatter that trend. MB is very very close to figuring out the formula that BMW's M division has held onto for such a long time. The current generation C63 not only thrills you around town with all that punch, but it can actually corner without letting that tail end slide out. Yes, it's easy to MAKE it slide but the difference is, it won't let out on you until you make it do so. This car has power NOW. You want to speed up, mash throttle and in two seconds you're there. Unlike the M, there is no "building up" of power. It's right there, at the disposal of your right foot anytime you desire whatever gear you're in. The fun factor on this car blows past the competition. This car provides more feel and better response then the M3. The nose is more eager to turn in.

The C63 AMG isn't perfect either though. This car has three main faults in my eyes. That stupid glass roof, and that MCT transmission(Good but no match for the M-DCT) The glass roof is way too heavy for a car in this segment and the MCT while good is no match for that M-DCT that bangs off shifts so crisply and smoothly. If I were MBZ, I'd start offering more CF. CF roof like the M3 would help lower that center of gravity. The C63 has a very small bit of body roll, again thanks to that heavy glass roof. Another gripe I had were the anemic rear tires. What was Mercedes thinking putting 255's on the rear of this car!?

Interior:

The interior of the M3 in my eyes is starting to look a bit dated but that's not to say that I don't like the simplicity of it. I like the fact that there aren't buttons scattered everywhere. It looks clean and functional. The iDrive has improved significantly and BMW is far ahead of MB in offering connectivity options. The screen on the new BMW's is simply amazing. They're nice and wide. They also offer free traffic updates which MBZ does not.

The problem I saw though, was with the quality of materials being used. While it's better then a regular 3 series, I can't say that it is MUCH better. Everything feels a bit tighter but the leather quality wasn't up to par. Wrinkles form very quickly and discoloration seems to occur fast as well. The leather shows age too quickly. I also heard a couple of squeaks. I'd say that the quality of materials was only slightly better then what Mercedes was using during those dark ages when quality plummeted.

The C63's interior has improved and honestly, it's a night and day difference. Not only has Mercedes changed layout but they bumped up the quality of materials. Everything feels nice and tight around you. The leather is soft and does not show it's age as quickly. Wrinkles in the leather were hard to find. It's vastly improved over the introduction model. Everything feels good.

Exterior:

Personally, I think the e92 was one of the best looking cars around. The e92 M3 will look good years from now when we look back on it. It's gorgeous, purposeful, and the stance on the car just looks perfect!

The only gripe I have with the C63 is the rear bumper. It doesn't wrap around the car, instead it sticks out. Other then that, the car looks good. Just wish it had some wider tires to make the car look wider and meaner.

Conclusion:

You really can't go wrong with either car but it comes down to what you will be using the car for. Having to rev the snot out of the M3's engine can be great fun, but it gets old very quickly. Personally, I think the C63 is MORE fun, MORE of the time. It provides instant response with steering feel and very good feedback. It's not the best drivers car out there, it's not as light or as balanced as the M3, but even with it's faults, it is mighty close to matching the M3's ballerina like agility and that's why I would take the C63 today if I were to buy one today.

I'm not liking that BMW is milking a badge for what use to stand for an enthusiasts wet dream. I'm sure the next generation M3 will be a blast to drive and of course I'll want to see what BMW has to offer, but ///Marketing is taking that brand over and every grandma and their mother has one now. Now nothing will set apart an M from the rest of the line up. The introduction of their M Performance line really doesn't help this either as we'll be seeing ///M328's more often. Those very people that you and I made fun of for being 'posers'.

Anyway, That's my review of two absolutely amazing machines. Two great cars that go about doing the same thing, in a different way. Thanks for taking the time to read this!

1.) I got the M3 8k under invoice.
2.) I have a VERY good relationship with my BMW dealer(and sales associate)
3.) My family has been a BMW family.
4.) The M3 drives(in my opinion of course) just a little bit better then the C63 AMG. While it's close(very close) the M3 still has the edge in overall feel.

I stated that the C63 has some faults and the glass roof and the transmission being the key components.

__________________

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaptainAudio

In the words of one of Bimmerfest's greatest minds:"Been there, done that"

Quote:

Originally Posted by boltjaM3s

Half the fun of succeeding in life is fighting the fight and making it.

Just ordered about 2 weeks ago SO I am hopeful before Christmas. The wife's is Mineral White Convertible and mine is space G convertible. I have looked at ever video on line and I have to drive by the dealership EVERY day on my way to and from work.......................

There are ways to help pass the time... Are you tracking online? Download the M3 manual and supplementary manual for a little light reading. I think I had read mine three times before I took delivery! An of course you can start shopping for some mods...

I remember once I got my keys and sat in her for the first time, the sales manager was giving me the run-down on features and settings and I swear I did not hear a thing, all I could think of was "can I drive her now?"

Have a great pick-up experience and tell us how it went..... once you actually tear yourself away from the new baby/beast.